Field of Art
The present heat transfer system is able to be utilized by any system in which the conservation of heat and other energies is desired. In particular, the system of the present invention is particularly adaptable for use in household heating systems.
In a normal household, a large surface area for the location of solar panels is available in a convenient location such as on the roof. During the daylight hours continuous source of heat is available by these solar panels which is minimally affected by the external atmospheric temperature. During the daylight hours, this excess amount of solar heat available can be used to continually add heat to the eutetic salt solution and thereby provide a storage capacity for heat which is far in excess of that available in water and other heat storage materials. The eutetic salts usable with the present invention have melting points of from 200.degree. to 750.degree. which can be varied according to the needs and usages of the particular system.
During the daytime the continual influx of heat into the eutetic salt solution will increase the temperature thereof such that during the evening hours when the solar panels are inactive, enough heat will be stored in the eutetic salt solution to provide a continual source of heat to the house through the night until dawn when the solar panels will again be reactivated.
The cost of heating a home when considering contemporary fossil and other fuel costs is extremely great and such an inexpensive system designed for continuous operation such as is subject of the present invention is useful in reducing the cost of heating and in energy conservation.
Many prior systems have used solar heating panels but problems with such limited systems arise due to the fact that the heating capacity is only available during the daylight hours when heating to increase the temperature of the house is least required. Attempts to overcome these problems have included various systems for storing heat but the usual storage material is water or other similar materials which have a limited heat storage capacity. Eutetic salts which melt in the range of 200.degree. to 700.degree. F. provide a heat storage capacity of as much as ten times that of water. The advantages of material having such a large heat storage capacity are apparent.
Other prior art systems have experienced great difficulty in selectively controlling the drawing of heat from the heat storage material. The present application provides a system for closely controlling the amount of heat withdrawn from the heat storage material and transferring this heat as hot air or other available heat sources to the household or other environment.
Other prior art systems have required very elaborate structures for providing an intimate contact between the heat input system, the heat output system and the heat storage system. The present system of this invention provides a novel means for heating a thermally insulated eutetic salt solution while at the same time providing a heat withdrawing system which can be intimately positioned with respect to the eutetic salt while at the same time being capable of close control of the amount of heat withdrawn.